Doris Kennedy

Doris Kennedy (1913-) was Taoiseach of Ireland from 1990.

Biography
Doris Kennedy was born in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland in 1913 to a middle-class Catholic family. Her father, Donovan Kennedy, was a member of the IRA during the Irish War of Independence, and he was killed while fighting for the pro-Treaty IRA during the Irish Civil War. Kennedy had been raised as an admirer of Michael Collins, and her father's death inspired her to become active in Fine Gael. She worked as a party activist before rising to be a local party leader. Kennedy served on the Dublin City Council before being elected leader of Fine Gael ahead of the 1990 general election. Kennedy led her party to win 42.84% of the vote and 13 seats, making it the largest party in the Dail Eireann; it was closely followed by Fianna Fail with 40.03% of the vote and 12 seats. The ensuing leadership election saw Kennedy with the support of Sinn Fein and the Irish Labor Party (as well as some Fianna Fail mavericks) in forming a gogvernment, receiving 17 votes to Fianna Fail leader Frank Ewan's 12.